40K Infants in Gaza at Risk of Death as Israel Blocks Baby Formula
In a statement issued Monday, the Government Media Office in Gaza condemned the Israeli occupation for the 'silent genocide' targeting the most vulnerable segment of the population, infants, by deliberately depriving them of vital nutrition.
The ban, part of a wider siege that has crippled the Strip for nearly two years, has brought the region to the brink of a new and devastating health crisis.
Dr. Munir al-Bursh, Director-General of the Gaza Ministry of Health, revealed that 133 people, including 87 children, have already died as a direct result of hunger and malnutrition.
He warned that the number is likely to rise sharply in the coming days if humanitarian aid is not allowed in immediately.
'This is not merely a food shortage; it is a systematic policy of starvation that violates every principle of human rights and international humanitarian law,' Dr. al-Bursh said.
He emphasized that Gaza's healthcare system is barely functioning and that emergency supplies, including infant formula, are urgently needed.
The warning comes amid a broader humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where the ongoing Israeli genocide, now in its 22nd month (661 days), has already killed over 20,000 children and left tens of thousands more injured, orphaned, or displaced. Thousands of children are now living in tents, makeshift shelters, or the ruins of their destroyed homes, with little access to food, clean water, or medical care.
The Government Media Office urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, World Health Organization, and human rights organizations, to act immediately to pressure Israel into lifting the blockade and allowing the entry of baby formula, medicine, and humanitarian relief.
'Every day of delay costs more innocent lives,' the statement read.
It added that 'The world must not stay silent while infants are starved to death in front of our eyes.'
The call for action comes amid growing criticism of Israel's ongoing siege and military campaign in Gaza, which many international observers and rights groups have described as collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=66131
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Days of Palestine
8 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
Starvation Claims 6 More Lives in Gaza Amid Israeli Genocide
DaysofPal- The Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that six more Palestinians have died in Gaza due to starvation and malnutrition, bringing the total number of famine-related deaths to 175, including 93 children, since the onset of the Israeli-imposed blockade. The latest victims, all adults, underscore the escalating humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the besieged enclave, where food, medicine, and clean water have become nearly nonexistent. Gaza, home to over two million people, is facing what officials describe as one of the worst humanitarian crises in its history. 'This is a deliberate policy of starvation,' the Ministry of Health stated. It added that 'The Israeli occupation continues to use hunger as a weapon of war against civilians.' Since March 2, the Israeli occupation has completely shut down all border crossings into Gaza, effectively severing the lifeline that once brought food, fuel, and medical supplies into the territory. This move came in direct violation of a ceasefire agreement signed on January 18, which had guaranteed the daily entry of 600 aid trucks and 50 fuel tankers. With international aid largely paralyzed, residents have been surviving on dwindling food reserves, which have now all but disappeared. The blockade has led to a collapse in nutrition levels, with severe shortages in milk, vegetables, meat, poultry, medicine, and hygiene products. The ministry noted that the consequences have been devastating. Malnutrition is now rampant, especially among vulnerable groups such as children, women, and the elderly, noting that humanitarian organizations have warned that the situation will continue to deteriorate unless immediate international intervention is made. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli military genocide in Gaza, backed by the United States, has left approximately 208,000 Palestinians dead or injured, the vast majority of them civilians. More than 9,000 people remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, often without access to food, shelter, or medical care. As Gaza descends further into famine, calls are growing for an urgent lifting of the Israeli blockade and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries. 'This is no longer a political issue,' said one local doctor, adding, 'This is a matter of survival.' Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
16 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
Starving Children ‘Hunted for Food, US Doctor in Gaza Warns
DaysofPal – A US doctor working in Gaza has delivered a harrowing account of starvation, deadly violence, and the collapse of basic life in the besieged enclave, calling the situation 'absolutely unacceptable' and urging the world to intervene. Dr. Cooper, who has been in Gaza for only three days, described scenes that he said are beyond imagination, with children as young as five collapsing from hunger. 'I've seen children in the emergency room passing out from lack of food,' he said. 'They are completely famished—those with chronic illnesses, heart conditions, and neurological issues are in life-threatening conditions. This is absolutely unacceptable.' The doctor said basic food items have become prohibitively expensive, with a kilogram of meat or sugar selling for around \$100. Even medical staff, including pediatricians, are enduring acute hunger, surviving on minimal meals for days. 'People are saying that there's food here, why the price is so incredibly high and there's such a scarcity of food. This is just absolutely unacceptable. Definitely not true,' Dr. Cooper said. 'I've seen starving children with my own eyes.' He extended a direct challenge to Steve Witkoff, the representative of former U.S. President Donald Trump, to come to Gaza and witness the reality himself. 'I would like to invite apparently Mr. Witcoff is going to be here not too far away…I would invite him to come here and see for himself what's happening here,' he said. 'I'll meet him in person and I'll show him into the hospital. I would say this is so unacceptable in this day and age… I've seen that also with my own eyes.' Dr. Cooper also recounted the human toll of Israel's ongoing military offensive, including an 11-year-old boy who was paralyzed by a gunshot while searching for food for his family. 'The trauma bay is full of casualties… I got blood on my shoes right now because we walked through the trauma bay,' he said. 'Why 11- and 12-year-old boys are being shot with these powerful weapons is beyond comprehension. And that also drives the starvation because these kids are going to get food for their families. This is barbaric. It's a crime scene.' Gaza's hunger crisis is worsening at a catastrophic pace. Since October 2023, at least 163 people—93 of them children—have died from starvation, according to health officials. Israel's 18-year blockade and the total closure of border crossings since March 2 have pushed food supplies to the brink. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has warned that famine is 'playing out in real time' in Gaza, while the enclave's health system has nearly collapsed under the strain of mass malnutrition, contaminated water, and untreated diseases. Dr. Cooper said malnourished children are dying not just from hunger, but from waterborne illnesses and infections that cannot be treated. 'Undernourished and lacking nutrients, vitamins… They're also thirsty. There's no water. And the water they have is of poor quality. There's a massive amount of diarrhea, fevers, infectious diseases—some we can't even diagnose because we lack medical facilities,' he said. He gave one of his most chilling warnings about children being targeted while searching for food. 'Young teenagers are going to fetch food and are being shot at. They're being literally hunted down. They're hunted dead,' he said. Despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire, Israel's assault continues. Gaza health authorities report more than 60,000 Palestinians killed since October, most of them women and children. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Days of Palestine
Ongoing Famine in Gaza Takes More Lives, Including Children
DaysofPal – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Friday that the number of Palestinians who have died from starvation and malnutrition under Israel's ongoing blockade has risen to 162, including 92children. In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals in the Gaza Strip recorded three new deaths from hunger-related causes, two of them children. The grim update underscores the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave, where the health system has all but collapsed and basic necessities remain out of reach for most of the population. 'This brings the total number of famine victims to 162, including 92 children,' the ministry said in a statement, reiterating that the deaths are a direct result of the prolonged Israeli siege and the severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. The ministry renewed its urgent appeal to the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene and deliver life-saving aid to the population of Gaza. 'The tight blockade and lack of medical and food supplies continue to endanger lives every hour,' the statement warned. On July 27, the World Food Programme issued a stark warning, stating that a third of Palestinians in Gaza had gone days without food. 'The hunger crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of despair,' said Ross Smith, WFP's Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. 'A third of the population is going without food for days at a time.' The WFP also reported that approximately a quarter of the population, including over 100,000 children and women, is now experiencing famine-like conditions and acute malnutrition. According to Palestinian officials, the mass hunger is not incidental but the result of deliberate Israeli policy. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has enforced a near-total blockade on Gaza, further tightening restrictions on March 2 by closing all remaining crossings to aid. That decision accelerated the spread of famine across the Strip, with aid agencies now describing the situation as 'catastrophic.' While Israel has allowed a limited number of humanitarian trucks into Gaza in recent days, far short of the 600-truck daily minimum needed to meet basic needs, local authorities say much of the aid has been intercepted or looted under Israeli military protection. The Government Media Office in Gaza said that Israel is 'not only limiting aid but actively facilitating and protecting the theft of the few trucks allowed in,' turning even the promise of relief into further tragedy. Shortlink for this post:
